Hitch mount tire carriers

[Kevin B.]

Anybody run one? Have any trouble with it deforming or wallowing out the hitch from rocking side to side?

I'd have a skinny 33" and alloy wheel on it.

 

[bryson]

I haven't run one, but I think a decent system would come with a wedge-type lock or something similar on the hitch... Tighten it up to remove any slack in the hitch, and eliminate the wobbles.

I think a cool hitch-mount tire carrier could be built fairly simply, and for pretty cheap. I think you should build one.

 

[Kevin B.]

It's that or come up with a swinging carrier that's detachable. I'm tired of having my spare in the bed but I don't want it hanging off the back while I'm daily driving either.

 

[dutchman]

I think we could come up with something Kevin.

 

[BCGPER]

A simple thumb screw like set up will take all the rattles out quick and easy. Sorry for the crappy cell pic,.

 

[Caleb]

All the hitch mounted motorcycle carriers have something similar to what BC is referring to. It's a bracket that slides of the hitch carrier but has a lip with three bolts on it. You slide it so that lip is over the vehicle lip then tighten it against the vehicle hitch. It creates a sandwiching affect and takes out the wobble even with a 300lb motorcycle on the back.

 

[Kevin B.]

and takes out the wobble even with a 300lb motorcycle on the back.

Even wheeling? I'm sure they work on the road, I'm just worried that being flung from side to side when I'm off-pavement might put too much stress on it?

 

[iamsparticus]

why dont you just make a tire mount that holds the tire standing up in the bed against the side. I did one for a new tacoma the guy loves it

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Or just run one of these on each side from the hitch mount to the carrier and get ZERO movement http://www.homedepot.com/p/3-8-in-x-10-1-2-in-Zinc-Plated-Turnbuckle-Hook-Eye-10086/202183408

 

[Kevin B.]

Or just run one of these on each side from the hitch mount to the carrier and get ZERO movement http://www.homedepot.com/p/3-8-in-x-10-1-2-in-Zinc-Plated-Turnbuckle-Hook-Eye-10086/202183408

I love a simple solution like this. That's a really good idea, and I might just do it!

 

[snwbrdr852]

Just out of curiosity, what's stopping you from running it in the factory location?

My 33x10.5 still fits up in there (snugly).

 

[Kevin B.]

Just out of curiosity, what's stopping you from running it in the factory location?

My 33x10.5 still fits up in there (snugly).

Does yours fit? Mine doesn't, it's way too close to the exhaust pipe. I've got plans to eventually shove another gas tank under there anyway, so it's not worth rerouting the exhaust.

 

[snwbrdr852]

Yeah, mine does. Though I've got the exhaust chopped back a bit, so that may be why...

 

[sawtooth4x4]

i used to build these for commanders. they worked really well with outriggers that tied into the frame. they didn't rattle at all and stayed pretty tight.





This was another version

 

[Kevin B.]

Here's what I ended up with. Carl cut me out some plates, and I boogered everything together, and this is pretty much it. I still need to relocate the license plate and figure out a highlight mount.

The guy lines control the side to side movement very well. They don't have enough leverage to control the bouncing, though. I bought a Ubolt stabilizer, but it won't work as designed because the guy that built this bumper cut the receiver tube at an angle to increase departure angle. I might try to rig a wedge in there, or I might drill and a tap a hole for a bolt in the bottom, or I might modify the bumper to make the ubolt work. I haven't decided yet.

 

[Unimog]

One of my thule bike carriers just has a threaded hole in the part that goes into a receiver. A 3/4" bolt holds it on instead of a hitch pin. It makes it much more stable than just the pin.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Kevin, how has this been holding up for you? I'm thinking a hitch rack (for gas cans and dirty stuff) is in my near future.

 

[STAG]

One of my thule bike carriers just has a threaded hole in the part that goes into a receiver. A 3/4" bolt holds it on instead of a hitch pin. It makes it much more stable than just the pin.

3/4"?... Or 5/8"?

 

[Kevin B.]

Honestly, I think what I've done is learned the hard way why guys prefer swingouts. It ends up being a bit of a pain to lower and raise the thing every time I want to get in the tailgate, and it puts a hurting on my departure angle. It's a great option for the minimal money and effort I invested and I had fun building it, but it's not a long term solution. I'm going to build a proper swingout carrier, Eric has been bugging me to bring him a project and I've got a spindle and latch collecting dust so I think that'll be the next thing I do after I finish the swap.

I know you don't want a whole rear bumper and don't need to carry your spare on it, but if you decide to go with a hitch mount, I would make it a swingout like the Hitchgate but with a cage for your gas and grungies instead of the tire carrier.

I think if I were in your shoes with your priorities though, I'd go with a low profile roof rack and a hardshell cargo box with some Rotopax mounts on it.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I've been looking at that hitchgate, that's a really cool design.

And that roof rack is slick. It doesn't hurt that it's mounted to one of the sexiest tacomas ever. Roof racks sure kill MPG, and for how few times I need to carry gas and grungies, I'm leaning more towards a hitch basket. We'll see though.